The govt proposes to complete the exercise for passage of general budget for 2011-12 in Parliament by 24th March, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee will initiate the discussion on the budget in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday and will reply on the debate on Thursday, Bansal told reporters in New Delhi on Monday.

The discussions on the budget will be taken up in the Rajya Sabha on 9th and 10th March he said, adding that the Finance Minister will reply to the debate in the Upper House on 11th March.

The Lok Sabha will discuss demands for grants of only four ministries — Rural Development, External Affairs, Mining and Road Transport.

In the Rajya Sabha discussions will take place on demands of ministries of Tribal Affairs, Minorities Affairs, Defence and Civil Aviation.

Guillotine will be applied in the Lok Sabha to discuss the demands of other ministries on 17th March.

Guillotine is a parliamentary procedure to curtail debate on demands for grants of various ministries to ensure timely passage of the finance bill, which completes the budgetary exercise.

The Finance Bill, which incorporates tax proposals for 2011-12, will be taken up for discussion on 21st and 22nd March in the Lower House and the entire process would be completed by 24th March, Bansal said.

Mukherjee had unveiled the budget proposals for 2011-12 in the Lok Sabha on 28th February.

The budget session is being curtailed due to the forthcoming assembly elections in five states — West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.